[justinclift]

> in sex work, "not using a condom" is an "extra" that clients will pay quite a bit for

To me, that is such a weird thing.

People literally paying money for something that can damage them for life and may even kill them.

Though the same can be said of addictive things (smoking comes to mind), is this some form of that maybe?

[pasquinelli]

> To me, that is such a weird thing.

i'm confused. are we acting like we don't full-well know that using a condom sucks for everyone involved? it's like wondering why people didn't like using a face mask during covid: because it sucks. that, of course, is independent from whether it's prudent, but if something sucks, it's no surprise when people avoid it, right?

[justinclift]

> are we acting like we don't full-well know that using a condom sucks for everyone involved?

What do you mean "acting"? We all know it reduces the sensitivity. That's the trade off. You feel less pleasure, and your fucking doesn't get to kill you.

> it's like wondering why people didn't like using a face mask during covid: because it sucks.

Similar analogy. It sucked, but that was a similar trade off. It sucks a bit, but there's less chance it'll kill you or you'll kill others.

> it's no surprise when people avoid it, right?

I think those people would have to be fucking morons, but sure, morons exist.

[sdwr]

There's that middle ground!

[vidarh]

People have a risk level they're comfortable with, and sometimes people feel added excitement pushing right up to or past that level, and sometimes they're just happy to pay extra for something they feel is within that risk level if they enjoy it more.

We all choose to take risks all the time and often pay for the privilege, sometimes explicitly seeking out the thrill of a risk.

I'm guessing what makes this specific scenario weird for you is more likely that this risk doesn't seem worthwhile to you relative to what you get from it (and I agree with that - I've never had an appetite for taking risks with STDs)

[shiroiushi]

>People literally paying money for something that can damage them for life and may even kill them.

You could say the same about sky-diving.

[justinclift]

Yep, sure could. :)

[sureIy]

Being horny also counts as being “in an altered state of consciousness that biases against use of condoms.”

As someone who took the condom off in a risky situation recently, there’s no comparison between the on and off feeling. It’s like licking a piece of candy vs crushing it with your teeth and sucking it all at once.

[justinclift]

> As someone who took the condom off in a risky situation recently ...

With consent yeah?

[wvh]

Maybe you want the real thing. I get that, even though I have never had sex with a prostitute or fall into the risky sex category. I'm not going to go as far as to be childishly disrespectful and say I'd rather die doing the real thing, but I do understand the apprehension of using artificial barriers during the most intimate act know to humankind.

[mattmaroon]

Risk always entails a premium.

[mypalmike]

Not generally, no. Driving that car with the sketchy suspension is cheaper than getting it fixed.

[mattmaroon]

Incorrect.

When somebody else takes a risk for you, you have to pay them more than if they are not taking a risk. We pay soldiers more when they are at war than when they are not. People who want to raise money by selling bonds have to pay a higher interest rate if their credit is worse. Etc.

Prostitutes would consider unprotected sex more risky, and thus charge more.

[amyjess]

A better analogy would be to buy a '60s sports car that predates nearly all modern safety tech at auction for $$$$$$ instead of just buying a 2024 Corolla with modern safety features.

[justinclift]

The grand parent post said risk _always_ entails a premium.

They post you're replying to merely points out they're wrong, as there are examples of it not _always_ entailing a premium.

No-one's saying that there aren't examples of risks that do entail a premium.

[danielxt]

it does, because the chances of you needing expensive medical care after using the sketchy vehicle go up

[thfuran]

If you drive faster still in a car that also lacks crumple zones and airbags, your expected medical bill probably decreases.

[mypalmike]

Yes it's easy to strain metaphors.

[vidarh]

This is obtuse. The intent of expressing that if you are paying someone else for a service, it predisposes them to demand a higher price if you're asking them to take additional risks if they have any negotiating power at all was pretty obvious.

[mypalmike]

The discussion was about the additional risk to the customer, not the vendor.

[vidarh]

The comment above the one you replied to was. The comment you replied to was not, and it'd be reasonable to suggest it didn't really address what it replied to. But its intent was clear.

[mock-possum]

Yes but it feels good